Snakes

[trashguts]

WhiteAlpha; It's really not recommended to keep corns together. This person puts it well.

[snowdrake]

I think that what science is saying is that most of the time. When housing two snakes together is causes stress and could result to cannibalism; better be safe then sorry

Even science can be wrong:
If you would put the corn snakes which live together at my friends house in seperate tanks they would stop eating and then die. Its like they are married cx
Im gonna watch how the snakes come along the first month of course and if one attacks the other guy Im going to put them in seperate tanks (my friend always has a spare tank just in case something happens).

I really appreciate that you want to help me (you to hiperyon) but I think its better to make my own experience at that point c:

[plum]

Corn snakes do not live in groups(and snakes in general are not social animals), and there are thousands of people with corns that live alone that are perfectly fine.
Not to mention, there's other risks other than cannibalism when it comes to keeping snakes together - they could pass on illnesses to each other, compete for "resources" (heat pads/hides). If one regurgitates its meal, or has a runny/concerning poop, how do you know which one did it? Overall it's more stress for both you and your snakes.

[Labmouse44]

@hiperyon, I was about to link that post!

I'm not saying you can't house your corns together, I'd just really advise against it.
I'm sorry, but snakes are simply not capable of feeling emotional pain. They lack a neocortex, they can't miss something, especially not to death.
Their brains are programmed as solitary animals, they simply aren't social and don't need company.

P.S Cirque-arachne has a valid point about competition for resources and other diseases.

[snowdrake]

@Science_Forever
Maybe they dont feel emotional pain but they really aren't eating if the other one isn't there.
Maybe snakes in the wild are the way you described them, the snakes of my friend are different.
I really dont want to cause a fight here :c

@cirque-arachne

I think I said it somewhat wrong.
Yeah they dont live in groupd all the time but when winter comes they search other corn snakes under a stone or whatever they find to "sleep" (sorry dont know the right word in English, Im German) through the whole winter.

And yes, Im well aware of the consequences but I can manage them.

[plum]

I think that what science is saying is that most of the time. When housing two snakes together is causes stress and could result to cannibalism; better be safe then sorry

Even science can be wrong:
If you would put the corn snakes which live together at my friends house in seperate tanks they would stop eating and then die. Its like they are married cx
Im gonna watch how the snakes come along the first month of course and if one attacks the other guy Im going to put them in seperate tanks (my friend always has a spare tank just in case something happens).

I really appreciate that you want to help me (you to hiperyon) but I think its better to make my own experience at that point c:

It's not just science, it's the years experience of many, many different keepers and breeders. Chances are they've had much more time keeping snakes than your friend.
If you want to cohab your snakes, you do it AFTER you learn how to care for your snakes separately. As far as I know you're just a beginner, so you need to learn how to "read" your snakes, how to deal with their individual issues, and just in general you need to gain some experience just doing the basics.

@cirque-arachne

I think I said it somewhat wrong.
Yeah they dont live in groupd all the time but when winter comes they search other corn snakes under a stone or whatever they find to "sleep" (sorry dont know the right word in English, Im German) through the whole winter.

And yes, Im well aware of the consequences but I can manage them.

That's brumation(basically hibernation). That isn't all of their lives, 24/7. That really isn't a valid excuse to cohab snakes.

[Labmouse44]

I agree with cirque-arachne once again.
We're not trying to start a fight, we're merely trying to lead you in the right direction.
When I got my first snake, about ten years ago, I did a lot of research and ended up getting advice from some well-known breeders. Just practice caring for the snakes you have now and learn their behavioral patterns before you cohab them.
Also, when snakes look like they are sleeping together its actually a dominance/competitive display in some species.

[snowdrake]

I think I should just quit this discussion now.
I know that you guy propably have more experience than me, but Im not exactly a beginner I'd say... I helped her for about one year now and even cared for her snakes once she was going to vacation.
She owns snakes for over 60 years so I think I can say that she has enough experience that she also knows what she's doing.

I know you were trying to help me but I think if someone say that he/she know's what they are dealing with you should just let them go on. I dont believe you can stop them from doing this.

Thank you anyways for trying to help me c:

[Kalrine]

@WhiteAlpha; A lot of us here have kept snakes for years, and I'm sure all of us would tell you that its much safer and less stressful to keep your snakes separate. I've kept more than 6 different species of snakes for over 10 years. As Science already explained, almost all species of snakes are solitary by nature. Corn snakes aren't as cannibalistic as, for example, kingsnakes, but there is still a risk. Its definitely advised against it. And as cuddly and attached as they may seem to each other, its absolutely not going to kill them to separate them, but it might to keep them together. 60 years is a very long time full of risks, I'm extremely surprised nothing has happened yet. I have a cousin who kept 2 adult corns together in a perfect 100 gallon tank. It was so large and well put together that even I agreed to housing them together, and I'm usually very against it. One took the others eye and left each other with scars, even though they'd been together 7 years fine. I'd show pictures, but I have none. You sound like you'll be keeping them together; so good luck and watch them closely, I hope all goes well and they don't eat each other. c:

@Science; What a pretty pied! Love the white on his sides. Yeah, Cleo is extremely picky. But when she does see what she want (live ASFs), she totally switches to feeding mode and goes berserk on them. African Soft Furs where recommended to me by a friend who also keeps ball pythons (on f/t rats though), and I'm really glad; the way Cleo was going, she would have starved herself. She didn't take to assist feeds or show any interest in anything else whatsoever. We tried chicken broth, braining, assist feeds, force feeds, skipping a meal or two, leaving it on top of her tank, leaving it in her tank; she had none of it. Oh well. Here are pics of my desert fire spider (Cleo), pastel (Bee), and albino (Cheese).


Cleo, who gets bigger and chunkier every day.


Bee, who, like Cleo, is growing really fast.


Cheese again, this time on my bed.

[Labmouse44]

Beautiful snakes!
Especially Cleo, she is breaktaking. Asfs are perfectly good to feed to snakes, I just wouldn't be able to keep an asf eating snake as they are unable in my area XD
Here are some pictures of my other ball pythons:

This is Phantom, my yearling male Ivory BP (he's got to be one of my favs: fantastic eater on f/t rats, great personality:)


And here are Remmy and Sapphira, the two mates

Sapphira:


Remmy isn't very photogenic XD: